Environmental-isolation room door-seal

ABSTRACT

An environmental-isolation room door-seal in which the mating faces of a door frame and of a door closable thereinto in a preferred embodiment are of structures which define between opposing surfaces thereof a channel circumscribing the outer edges of the door and the inner edge of the door frame extending around the perimeter of the door, including on each of opposite sides of the door channel a sealing strip, each sealing strip also circumscribing the door, and a vacuum pump and a pressure equalizing conduit and switch operatively connected to the channel, with the exhaust of the vacuum pump outlet being directed through a chemical purifying device, whereby the vacuuming of the channel serves both to further lock together the closed door and frame thereof, and to trap and conduct away any air or gases which might under adverse circumstances seep past the inner-door seal into the vacuumed channel, thereby preventing contamination of environment outside of the door of the environmental-isolation room.

United States Patent Blickman ENVIRONMENTAL-ISOLATION ROOM DOOR-SEAL [76] Inventor: Bernard 1. Blickman, 536 Gregory Ave., Meehawken, NJ. 07087 [22] Filed: Jan. 24, 1972 [21] App]. N0.: 220,156

[52] US. Cl. 49/484, 49/488 [51] Int. Cl E06b 7/23 [58] Field of Search.. 49/484, 477, 495, 488; 312/1; 128/1 R, 1 B

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,507,974 4/1970 Clark et a1. 49/477 X 3,050,791 8/1962 Trexler 49/477 X 1,883,609 10/1932 Dennis 49/495 2,760,791 8/1956 Neubauer et a1. 49/477 X 3,129,278 4/1964 Watt, Jr. et al..... 49/484 X 3,491,484 1/1970 Heim 49/477 X Primary ExaminerMervin Stein Assistant Examiner-Philip C. Kannon An environmental-isolation room door-seal in which the mating faces of a door frame and of a door closable thereinto in a preferred embodiment are of structures which define between opposing surfaces thereof a channel circumscribing the outer edges of the door and the inner edge of the door frame extending around the perimeter of the door, including on each of opposite sides of the door channel a sealing strip, each sealing strip also circumscribing the door, and a vacuum pump and a pressure equalizing conduit and switch operatively connected to the channel, with the exhaust of the vacuum pump outlet being directed through a chemical purifying device, whereby the vacuuming of the channel serves both to further lock together the closed door and frame thereof, and to trap and conduct away any air or gases which might under adverse circumstances seep past the inner-door seal into the vacuumed channel, thereby preventing contamination of environment outside of the door of the environmental-isolation room.

ABSTRACT 3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures ENVIRONMENTAL-ISOLATION ROOM DOOR-SEAL This invention is directed to an apparatus and system for the prevention of contaminated air or'other undesirable gases or vapors from escaping from an enclosed confined area past the opposing surfaces of a door and door frame in a closed position.

BACKGROUND Prior to this invention there have existed various types of door seals, particularly for example of the type in which a rubber tubing circumscribes the outer edge of the door or the inner edge of the door frame and/or in which such tubing is subjected to pressurized air or other pressurized gas in order to enhance a sealingaction of a possibly otherwise collapsed or wrinkled tube.

Where research is being conducted-such as on viral infectious bacteria and/or viruses and/or diseases, or on processes and/or compositions and/or research of a type that requires sanitary, pure, and/or bacteria-free environmental surroundings, in certain instances it has heretofore been the practice sometimes to have an intermediate room between the isolation environmental room and an outside room in which when the doors to and from the intermediate room are closed, the intermediate air being possibly vacuumed and/or replaced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION this invention fulfills the need as well as supplementing;

other devices and procedures directed towards the same needs heretofore not possible prior to this invention.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide an economical and efficient means for assuring atrapping and capturing of possibly contaminating bacteria and/or toxicants which otherwise might leak past a.

closed isolation door either because of defects in one or more seals or portions thereof and/or because of differences in pressures of the atmosphere and/or gases or vapors inside and outside of the sealing door.

Although the invention is primarily directed to the largetype isolation-environment situation in which one or more persons would be working within an isolation room and/or in which there would be substantial storage of materials within such room, the invention is also applicable to cabinets or autoclaves, or the like.

Another object is to enhance the sealed-state-ofbeing existing between the door and the door frame when the door is in a closed position.

Other objects become apparent from the preceding and following disclosure.

One or more of the preceding objects are obtained by the invention as described hereafter.

The invention includes a vacuum-seal and exhaust device including'a door surface and a door frame structure jointly defining a channel between a door surface and a frame surface about flush therewith in a closeddoor state. In addition to there being means for creating a vacuum within the channel whereby room gas leaking into the channel is drawn off by a vacuum pump, there preferably is included either as a part of the vacuum system or separate therefrom structural and valve means for equalizing pressure i.e. for admitting air or a gas into the channel prior to the opening of the door since the vacuum condition maintained by a continuous vacuum system of the channel serves both to withdraw possible contaminants within the channel as well as serves to lock the door within the frame. There may be a mere handle on the door for pulling open the door in the direction in which the door pivots and/or there may be also a latch means of any suitable or conventional type. In a preferred embodiment, the air pressure, equalizing means for admitting air or any other suitable or desired gas to the channel prior to the opening of the door may be associated with the operation of the latch, whereby the opening of the latch opens the valve or turns on a switch which opens the valve, or the like, for the admission of the pressureequalizing air or gas. In a preferred embodiment, the gas and/or air and/or contaminants removed from the vacuumed channel by the vacuum pump may be directed from the vacuum pump exhaust into a trap, such as preferably a chemical trap for neutralizing the contaminant whether the contaminant be bacteria or some toxic gas or the like. Additionally, in a preferred embodiment, the pressure-equalizing means includes a pressure pump which may be separate from or a part of the vacuum pump, and includes an electrical circuit and switch for activation of the compression pump for speedilyadmitting air or any other suitable gas to the vacuumed channel. In an alternative embodiment, the pressure-equalizing motor with the electrical circuit may be merely connected to a valve for turning on and- /or turning off the valve to a conduit admitting a pressure-equalizing air or other gas to the vacuum-channel. In a preferred embodiment on each side of the channel running along the opposite edges of the channel circumscribing the door within the inner edge surface of the door frame are located a door seal strip or tubing or the like of any conventional type and/or material further enhancing the sealing action of the door on opposite sides of the vacuum-channel. In one preferred embodiment, the edge of the door and the door frame edge are angled such that the area of one face of the door is substantially less than the area of the opposite face of the door whereby the door when closed in effect is wedged into the door frame, and in the preferred embodiment which includes the parallel insulating and sealing strips on opposite sides of the channel, the

wedging of the door serves to further compress and seal the door within the door frame by virtue of compressing the sealing strips or tubes. In an alternative embodiment, the door edge and frame edge may be stepped, with also preferably the parallel sealing strips being present, such that when the door is closed the substan tially upright portions of the steps press against the substantially upright portions of the strips pressed against the substantially upright step portions of the frame in order to establish a better seal between the door edge and the frame edge; preferably also between the surfaces being pressed together there are the preferred parallel strips of insulation material or tubing, or the like. In one particular embodiment, the closing of the latch by the turning of the latch handle serves to deactivate the pressure-equalizing electrical circuit whereby pressure-equalizing air or gas is turned-off and accordingly not admitted to the vacuum-channel. A movement of the latch in preparation for the opening of the door actuates the switch such that pressure-equalizing air or gas is promptly admitted to the vacuum channel. The electrical circuit preferably also includes two additional safety switches in electrical parallel circuit, one switch inside of the isolation room on one side of the door, and the other switch on the outside of the isolation room i.e. outside of the door, whereby a person within the room can by activating or inactivating the switch turn off or on (as the case may be) the equalizing pressure to the vacuumed channel thereby avoiding any one or more persons being trapped within the room and/or avoiding the possibility of a malfunction of the latch-switch precluding entry into the isolation area by virtue of the door being vacuum-locked.

THE FIGURES FIG. 1 illustrates an in-part front elevation plan view of a door frame with a door pivoted on hinges in a closed state, incorporating the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of the door and a crosssectional view of the door frame, as taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1, also illustrating typically the pressureequalizing means or alternatively of a vacuum pump, communicating with the vacuum-channel by way of a tubular conduit connected to the pump driven by an electric motor, with the vacuum-pump exhaust connected to a suitable trap such as a chemical trap.

FIG. 3 illustrates an in-part cross-sectional view of the latch-switch-actuating means of FIG. 1, shown in detail as to the switch and the actuating latch movable by movement of the handle of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 illustrates a typical electrical circuit of the pressure-equalizing means of this invention with three switches in parallel with the motor, one switch being accessible outside of the door, one being locatable inside the isolation room, and a third switch being typically that illustrated in FIG. 3 for making and/or breaking the electrical circuit.

FIG. 5 illustrates in cross-section both a stepped door frame edge and a stepped door edge, additionally illustrating a preferred switch for turning on and off the vacuum by virtue of the closing door opening a valve permitting the vacuuming pump to withdraw air from the vacuum-channel defined by the closing of the door within the frame.

FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment in the closed position, additionally illustrating the pressing-action of the steps against the parallel sealing strips or tubes, as well as the seals located in a single plane and an additional seal defining a second annular chamber (around the peripheral edge of the door) for the introduction under slight pressure of a chemical vapor or chemical decontaminant or disinfectant and additionally illustrates all seals being several parts of a single door or door frame gasket.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1 illustrates a door 8 on hinges 9a and 9b in a closed position within the door frame 10 having handle 11 connected operatively to latch 12 within space 13 defined by arced wall 14 (shown in phantom), as a typical appearing entrance door into an environmental isolation room. However, rather than being the appearance of the door as the entrance into the room, it also could be representative of the door for exit from an environmental isolation room particularly from the viewpoint that where it is desirable that gases or air of a contaminated nature not stray from the room, it would be desirable that the air in the room be at slightly reduced pressure relative to the air or gas pressure outside of the room, and in such an instance it would be desirable that the door open inwardly into the area of reduced pressure since otherwise there would be a necessity of equalizing the pressure of the entire room if the room was normally at a lower pressure and the door opened outwardly.

FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-section along lines 33 of FIG. 2 of the latch shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, illustrating also the depressible button 15 of the switch 16, the button being illustrated in a depressed state by virtue of the downward latched action of the latch 12. In FIG. 2 the cavity 13 of the door frame defined by the arced wall 14 is continuous with the cavity 13a of the door defined by structure of the door into which the latch 12 moves upon the clockwise movement of the latch handle 11. The wires 17a and 17b are analagous to the FIG. 4 wires 17a and 1711 leading to the switch 16, the FIG. 4 circuit having additionally switches 18 outside of the environmental-isolation room and the switch 19 inside the room itself, in series with a direct electric current and the motor.

FIG. 2 illustrates a view taken along lines 22 of FIG. 1 disclosing parallel sealing strips 20a and 20b and a vacuum tube connector 21 with a vacuum tube conduit 22 leading to a vacuum pump 23 mechanically pumped by lever 24 and crank 25 of motor 26a. The exhaust of the pump 23 is continuous with a tubular conduit 26 directing the exhaust of the pump through a trap 27 for trapping contaminants in the air or gas pumped from the channel 28 of FIG. 2, channel 28 extending around the entire periphery of the door 8; pump 23 may be reversible for compressing gas into channel 28.

FIG. 5 illustrates a variation on the preferred wedge shape of the door and door frame, wherein the edge 29 fits flush against the door frame edge 30 of FIG. 2, corresponding to the door frame edge 29a and door frame edge 30a of FIG. 5 and FIG. 6.

FIGS. 5 and 6 also illustrate a valve including a key 31 and a spring biased thereagainst 32, with the valve being closed in FIG. 5 and being open in FIG. 6 for the withdrawal of air or gas or the like from channel 28a. FIGS. 5 and 6 also illustrated the strips 20a and 20b in the open door and closed door positions. FIG. 6 additionally illustrates in cross-section a single gasket 32 having seals 20a", 20b", and 20c in the same plane of the door as it closes thereby assuring substantially identical ;ressures on the seals between the door and the door frame opposing faces. The seals 20a" and 20b define the annular chamber (passage) to be evacuated, while the seals 20b" and 200 define an annular chamber (passage) 33 into which a disinfectant or the like in gaseous or vapor form is introduceable by conduit 34 typically from a pressurized bottle or a pump or the like. Key 35 opens and closes conduit 34. The key 31 may be relocated to be within the chamber to be evacuated, for example, thereby eliminating the need for a seal therearound.

Although a vacuum pump is illustrated, any suitable desired or conventional means may be employed to create a vacuum or reduced pressure, such as a jetvacuum system, combustion, oxidation, cryogenics, or the like.

It is within the scope of this invention to make various modifications and substitutions of equivalents as would be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in this field. Compression in channel 28 and/or in the room could force open the door.

I claim:

1; An environment-isolating closure device comprising in combination a door frame suitable for mounting within a wall enclosing an isolation-environment, and having a planar surface, said frame defining a throughport, and a door having a planar surface shaped to be receivable by said door frame with lateral edges of the door and of the door frame having a substantially mating flush relationship to one another with structures thereof defining between opposing said frame surface and said door surface a channel structure defining an air-tight channel circumscribing said port when said door is in a closed position within said frame, said door surface and said frame structure surface being such that whensaid door is in a closed state said channel is substantially continuous around said port and a vacuum means comprising a vacuum pump, a first switch means for alternately turning on and off the vacuum of said vacuum pump, said switch means being mounted on said frame at a location such that it is actuatable by pressure of said door surface upon opening or closing of said door, and a tubular structure operatively, sealably connecting said vacuum pump to said channel structure of said air-tight channel such that such channe] is subjected to vacuum when said switch is turnedon and is isolated from vacuum when said switch is turned-off, and the device further including separate sealing strips mounted adjacent and parallel to said channel structure between said door surface and said frame surface, one strip along one side of said channel, and another strip along an opposite side of said channel, and said vacuum means including a pump exhaustoutlet to said pump, a chemical air-purifier trap, and conduit structure defining a passage operatively connected between said exhaust-outlet and said trap.

2. The device according to claim 1, in which said first switch means includes a depressible button which is depressible to turn-on said vacuum by pressure of one of said surfaces upon a closing of said door.

3. The device according to claim 1, including addi tional annular channel defining seal means providing a sealed annular passage between said surfaces, and said seals being in a common plane with said channel structure. 

1. An environment-isolating closure device comprising in combination a door frame suitable for mounting within a wall enclosing an isolation-environment, and having a planar surface, said frame defining a through-port, and a door having a planar surface shaped to be receivable by said door frame with lateral edges of the door and of the door frame having a substantiallY mating flush relationship to one another with structures thereof defining between opposing said frame surface and said door surface a channel structure defining an air-tight channel circumscribing said port when said door is in a closed position within said frame, said door surface and said frame structure surface being such that when said door is in a closed state said channel is substantially continuous around said port and a vacuum means comprising a vacuum pump, a first switch means for alternately turning on and off the vacuum of said vacuum pump, said switch means being mounted on said frame at a location such that it is actuatable by pressure of said door surface upon opening or closing of said door, and a tubular structure operatively, sealably connecting said vacuum pump to said channel structure of said air-tight channel such that such channel is subjected to vacuum when said switch is turned-on and is isolated from vacuum when said switch is turned-off, and the device further including separate sealing strips mounted adjacent and parallel to said channel structure between said door surface and said frame surface, one strip along one side of said channel, and another strip along an opposite side of said channel, and said vacuum means including a pump exhaust-outlet to said pump, a chemical air-purifier trap, and conduit structure defining a passage operatively connected between said exhaust-outlet and said trap.
 2. The device according to claim 1, in which said first switch means includes a depressible button which is depressible to turn-on said vacuum by pressure of one of said surfaces upon a closing of said door.
 3. The device according to claim 1, including additional annular channel defining seal means providing a sealed annular passage between said surfaces, and said seals being in a common plane with said channel structure. 